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A "dedicated family man" who was grieving following the loss his wife took the heartbreaking decision to end his own life, an inquest heard.

In 1964 Ralph Aubrey Simpson met the woman who would become the love of his life.

They married and in 1970 started a family of their own.

The couple were blessed with children and grandchildren, but in recent years Mr Simpson was hit extremely hard by a rapid decline in his wife's health and her sudden death following a cancer diagnosis.

Since her death Mr Simpson dealt with depression, up until his passing in November last year.

On November 6, 2019, emergency services were called to an address on Colemans Lane in Danbury after receiving reports of concern for a man's welfare.

Police forced entry into the three-bedroom house belonging to Mr Simpson, and during a search of the property, they found the 77-year-old hanging in the garage.

Officers found a note in his trouser pocket saying "do not resuscitate" and his death was sadly confirmed by medical crews.

The full inquest into his death took place yesterday, (Tuesday, April 21), at Essex Coroner's Court.

On November 18 last year, a post-mortem examination was carried out at Broomfield Hospital by Dr Sarah Lower.

Dr Lower recorded a cause of death as hanging, with paracetamol and codeine toxicity noted as a contributing factor.

What is an inquest?

Inquests do not investigate every single death that happens, but will hear unexplained or suspicious deaths of individuals. They will hear from witnesses from organisations, health services, as well as officers and police who investigated the incidents.

The law says that the coroner must open an inquest into a death if there is a reasonable cause to suspect that the death was due to anything other than natural causes.

An inquest is a limited fact-finding inquiry to establish:

Who died;

When they died;

Where they died;

How they died; and

Information needed by the Registrar of Deaths so the death can be registered.

There is a formal court setting and all must stand when the coroner enters and leaves the court.

It is very much in the public interest to have an effective inquest system, as it safeguards the legal rights of the deceased's family and other interested persons. It highlights lessons to be learned and advances in medical knowledge.

Many families also find it helps to have the chance to ask questions to witnesses, and at the end of the process, know that they have the full and accurate facts about their loved one's death.

"Mr Simpson meticulously planned his death"

A letter provided to the court by his loved ones described him as a "dedicated family man" who had served in the army and travelled extensively across the world.

After reading a report from Inspector Barry Atkinson, Mr Brookes said: "It is very clear from their accounts that Mr Simpson meticulously planned his death.

"He had a lot of paperwork arranged in piles, to streamline his financial arrangements and ease the burden on his family.

"He left a cheque for £200 to cover the service and ashes burial.

"It's fair to say that I think he never really recovered from the loss of his partner.

"His wife had died and he had been very depressed ever since.

"It would have recently been her birthday had she still been alive."

After considering all the evidence Mr Brookes came to the conclusion that Mr Simpson intended to take his own life and recorded his death as a suicide.